The Dark Rift Delusion
by Lemon Lain
Summary: After sailing the world and defeating the final Gigas, Vyse tries to figure out what's next for him and the Delphinus's crew. While resting on Crescent Island with Aika at his side, he feels his whole body grow heavy and consciousness leaves him. He soon finds himself in the dreaded Dark Rift, now questioning if he is in a nightmare or was he simply dreaming.
1. Chapter 1

The Dark Rift Dillusion

A Skies of Arcadia Story

By Lemon Lain

Chapter 1: The 10 Year Dream

"I still can't believe I've traveled the whole world...it still seems so unreal...all the places I've seen, the places I've gone, its beyond words..." Vyse sighed as he sat at the edge of crescent island, staring at the sky. Images of all the glories and terrors along their way seemed to stream endlessly before his very eyes. Combating the Gigas, the reviving of Soltis, destroying Zelos, it was like pure magic to Vyse. Not long ago he was just a shiphand on the Albatross, now here he was, the captain of his own ship, his own crew, and is even considered a legend by many. Aika simply smiled, grasping a hold of his hand to give it an affectionate squeeze as she turned her eyes to him as they laid back.

"You always said seeing was believing, and guess what, you've seen it all. You've seen for yourself how vast the sky can be, but also how our journey had turned into more of an odyssey that we used to read in those children's books when we were on Sailor Island. We are those story book heroes that you always wanted to be ever since we were six, so I can imagine how it would all seem too unreal," Aika said with a grin as Vyse's eyes turned to hers as well. Vyse felt his face grow warm as he lost himself in Aika's bright eyes, the same eyes he had always loved ever since they were mere kids. He thought it strange that feelings had been developing for her over the years, but after this past grand adventure, it seemed only natural now that their feelings would blossom before the moons.

"Maybe I should write a book just like those, I'm sure it could help shape the future for the young as it did for me. What do you think?" Vyse asked. Aika slowly rose on her hands and knees, quickly scooting over to him so that she could rest her head against his chest. She then turned her eyes up at Vyse's, her signature smirk staying put.

"If you could write that is, you were never one to use great words for describing things," Aika laughed, causing Vyse to crack a smile as well.

"Maybe when I was young, but now that I've seen it all, I think I can describe things a bit better thank you very much," Vyse retaliated, leaving Aika with a soft sigh of relief. Vyse suddenly felt heavy, his eyes and body growing as heavy as an anchor as he began to shake in attempts to move. His breathing began to race as his eyes darted around in a panic. The world began to grow dim around him as he returned his gaze to Aika.

"A-Aika...what's happening...I can't...move..." Vyse said, his voice weak as the ill. Aika's eyes simply looked at him, tears forming into them as his whole world faded to black. As if shocked by the poor of the yellow moon, Vyse shot awake, breathing heavily as the dim, faded world came back into view, however, it wasn't the world that he expected. His heart began to race in a panic as the world around him was as eerie as a foggy night sky. Quickly wiping the sandman's dust from his eyes, he quickly noticed that his eyepatch was now missing and the world that laid before his very eyes was one that he had ventured through, but not one he wanted to remember.

"This can't be..." Vyse said raising up into a sitting position. All around him was a vortex of black clouds; the ground in which he sat was floating amidst the nothingness of the area, as if in a void lost to the rest of the world. It wasn't til he noticed the strange translucent air fish and the strong, vibrant glow of the massive yellow flowers that glowed and pulsed with the small islands that surrounded it. Vyse shook his head as he took a hefty breath, the strange, thick and foul scent of rotting debris and whisping air caused him to choke for a moment, partaking in a coughing fit for a few minutes. Staring out into the darkness, it was clear where he was without any shred of doubt.

"The Dark Rift...why am I in the Dark Rift?!" Vyse shouted aloud, raising his feet in an instant. He felt cold from the gentle winds that flowed through the void, giving insight into where he truly was and the state of his own form. He looked at his arms as he raised them to sight; he no longer found himself in his traditional blue rogue attire, but simply a cutton shirt that had various holes and incredibly worn spots that were ready to tear at any moment. Looking at himself once more, he found that he was a descheveled as the terrain and shipwrecks around him, as if he had been lost for what appeared to be months or even years.

"What is this...? Is this a dream...?" Vyse coughed as he tried to breathe, now covering his mouth as he looked around once again. The feelings of the wind whipping through and the tough, thick air that stung his lungs seemed all too real to be some sort of illusion. A strong push of the wind knocked Vyse off of his feeble legs, sending him to the ground with a thud, the sharp sting of a blade grazed his arm, leaving a wound in its stead. Yelping in pain and grabbing his arm, he found that he had fallen upon a chipped, steel blade, completely rusted over without any shine left. His eyes darted along the ground, finding a tattered and stained red cloth that had sat next to him. He immediately snatched it off of the ground, quickly fastening it around his fresh wound which now had blood seeping from it.

"Wait...wait...what is going on...I'm trying to remember their names...they...had names...right?" Vyse shook his head, grunting in pain as he threw his eyes into his palm. His teeth began to clench tightly as the names of the girls that he once knew left his mind, as if only remembered in a passing dream. He wanted to call out for them, but his memory was slowly slipping away from him like feathers in the breeze. Everything that he had believed to be real began fading from his memory, as if truly just a passing dream. He grew frustrated as his clenched tightly; how could he know where he was but not remember the names of those he cared for so dearly? Tears began to fill his eyes as he slammed his fist into the ground, every inch of his body tensing up as tight as a sailor's knot.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Vyse cried, burrying his head into his legs. Coughing and choking on his tears and the vile air, Vyse took a moment to try and pull himself together. Sulking against his legs, he took steady, short breaths to try and steady himself enough to stand. After a few minutes, he felt his confidence return, his tears now drying as his determination began to soar.

"Crying is going to get me no where...I need to find a way out of this place...then I'll try to remember the rest..." Vyse said, stretching his limbs to the black sky above him. Dream or not, he had to escape from this horrid place. Immediately scrounging around for supplies or anything he could use, he came across various notes and carvings inside of the shipwreck that had found itself behind him. Making his way into the ship, he gazed over the notes. He came to the shocking realization that they were all in his own handwriting, dozens and dozens of pages with captain's logs and various other notes taken upon them. His hands shook as he raised one of the eldest looking ones that was covered in wind stains.

"Log 1...I'm not sure how I got here. The last thing I remembered was being asleep in my room upon my bed on Sailor's Island. I thought I remembered some men grabbing me, but I think that was just a dream...I hope this is all a bad dream, because I find this place very scary..." Vyse read. This all seemed a bit forgein to him, thinking that he had to be from some other person. It wasn't until he checked the signature and date at the bottom that he soon realized the worst.

"I was...7 when I wrote this? That's impossible!" Vyse said, throwing it upon the floor, immediately grabbed another one that was laid upon a brittle and battered wooden table that sat the window of the cabin that had toppled off of the ship.

"Log 16...It's so lonely here...I have survived so far using the old sword from this wreckage and catching fish with my hands as they drifted by. I'm glad daddy taught me how. When I eat them, they seem to sustain both nutritional nourishment as well as serving as a water source. Good thing they don't taste too bad. Maybe a ship will come through here soon and then I can go back home to mom and dad and Aika, I miss them all so much..." Vyse read, he immediately placed it back where he found it, snatching up the next note. This time, the handwriting seemed a little more refined than before.

"Log 36...The fish here seem to be putting my body into a hefty sleep, sustaining it for vast amounts of time. The first few times I think it only worked for a few days, its hard to tell the time since there is no light in the sky...each time I sleep I can see everyone that I used to know, I get to see mom and dad and Aika. It's kind of nice. Right now my clothes are starting to feel a bit smaller from when I last awoke, but nothing too bad. I'm not sure if it's my clothes shrinking or I'm starting to get bigger..." Vyse's voice grew a bit shakey as he tossed it down immediately raising another one to his eyes.

"Log 183...It's clear to me now that no one is going to come for me. Judging by how fast the fish bones are decaying into nothing day to day, I'm starting to believe that months have been passing by as I eat. I'm determined to find my way out of this hell no matter what it takes. Just the other day I felt as if I was still a kid, but today my body aches, and I am standing almost a foot taller than before.

I tried finding any other kind of nourishment, but nothing else can survive in these horrid conditions. I'm afraid that it may one day putting me into a permanent sleep, but I can't lose hope..." Vyse's eyes began to water up again but he brushed them off quickly, keeping his body from falling into any form of melancholic distress. He let the note float to the ground as he grabbed another sheet.

"Log 261...I'm not sure how much longer I can hang onto my sanity...what has seemed like only a few months has now clearly turned into years. I'm beginning to dream more and more about the world and how it could be now. Just last night I dreamt that I took over a valuan armada fleet ship! I vaguely remember a girl named Fina that wore strange, silver clothes. She was really pretty too. I hope I can be a pirate like this one day. Oh, Aika has returned to my dreams now, but I don't remember her outside of the dreams anymore, that's why I'm writing this upon awakening. These logs are helping me remember things, which is all that is keeping me together.

On a positive note I've found moonstones here and there and have been keeping them in a chest next to the bed, before too long I'll have enough power to leave, I just need to make a body that can survive in these conditions. My hopes are up now..." Vyse's hands began to shake as he let this one drift to the floor as well. His eyes shuffled through all of the numbers that were planted at the corner of every page, jumping vast numbers at a time. Finally he came to a note that seemed to match up with his current age as far as dates were concerned. It was clear that the days were all growing further and further apart but the way he wrote the note seemed more like he had written within his dreams.

"Log 367...I can't take anymore of this...every time I've pieced together a frame the winds have torn it apart. I'm running out of debris to create further trials so maybe I'll just stop now. The loneliness I'm starting to feel is causing me to scream every night to the point of going mute. The fish have begun to put me down for longer and longer the more I eat, so I think I'll gather a whole school and eat them tonight. Perhaps, I won't wake up this time and I'll be able to stay in the life that I always longed for . Here's hoping for the best..." Vyse's eyes widened as his voice silenced itself in his throat. Freezing up, he began to remember all of these notes. It was if he was struck by lightening as he remembered everything from when he was 7 to now. He remembered men in boats raiding Pirate Island, with several men in black and gold abducting him. It was clearly the valuans that he had dreamt of for so long that put him in this horrid perdicament he found himself in.

"My God...OK...I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Vyse shouted, sweeping all of the notes from the desk in an instant. Taking in what little bit of his dream he could remember, he began drawing schematics of ships that he had seen from his dream, as well as the mechanical blueprints on what remaining paper he had. He didn't really understand what he was looking at as he drew them upon the remaining parchments he had, but with a little luck he could begin to understand them.

Searching around his room he began to find a surprisingly hefty amount of gold as well as the moonstones that were mentioned within the notes, nearly enough to afford a small 1 person ship were he to make it civilization. Taking note of what the fish would do to him should he eat them, he decided he wouldn't partake in anymore unless his life clearly depended on it. Much like on crescent island from his dreams, he took it all into account, piecing together a ship on the dry, grassy land beneath him to the best of his abilities.

"It seems like days since I started building this thing but I think it's finally ready to try..." Vyse said coughing and wiping the sweat from his brow. He had taken parts from what was left of the engine within the shipwreck and made a condensed form of the motor using them. With as many moonstone as he had, he used them on the joints and bends, giving the small boat a stern frame in which to ride in like a harness. He removed the musky sheets from the bed in which he had lived upon for the past to house not only a makeshift blanket or pillow but to house the gold in which he would be relying on should he manage to make it to civilization. Dumping his remaining moonstones into the engine, it began to power on, raising the small shuttle of a ship that he had makeshifted into the air.

"YES YES! Alright! I knew it took a lot of wind and power to escape this place in the dream, but I can't turn back now. I refuse to go back to sleep! I'm going to make those dreams a reality!" Vyse said with a confident smile, pushing the small boat off the small island within the rift. It stayed in place and intact, allowing Vyse to hop upon it with ease. He turned the boat around to face to the right of his location, revealing a series of vortexs. He prayed to himself quietly that they were just like his dream, knowing that escaping the void would be easier than he could hope for.

"Come on little boat, don't fail me now!" Vyse shouted, grasping a hold of the throttle, the small planks of wood and moonstones that made up the fins that that helped guide it began to waft, turning him towards his destination with only minimal effort. It seemed like hours upon hours that Vyse took to try and find his way out. Just when he thought he had found the right vortex, he would find himself right back where he started. Refusing to give up, Vyse kept floating around, trying to find his way free of the dark prison. Noticing that the strange plants glowed in a line, he thought to himself that they could be some form of path keeper. With nothing left to lose he began following the plants. The engine began to heat up with steam shooting out from its rear as he pushed through one final vortext that awaited the end of the line of plants. With his lifeboat now falling apart, Vyse gripped onto it for dear life, pushing the engine to its absolute limits to push through.

"COME ON! COME ON! JUST A BIT MORE!" Vyse shouted, clenching his teeth and his grasp digging into the crude wood work. Shutting his eyes to avoid the wind, light began to shine upon him, warming him in its glorious warmth. The small engine began to smoke and crackle as Vyse found himself back out in the open sky, the widest smile on his face with excited cheers gracing the skies. He was finally free. Praying that his dreams were real he set a straight course for the old, rundown military base of Esparanza. Sure enough, just like in his dream, the rusted over base came into view, giving Vyse the first stop he needed to get himself back out into the world around him.

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Last Resident

Smoking and ready to fall apart, Vyse's makeshift ship finally found its way to the small docks of Esperanza. Upon stepping off of the poor vessel with his blanket of supplies, it had taken its last breath as it sank into the deep sky. Vyse wasn't too upset though, for it had served him well in his endeavor to escape the dreaded Dark Rift.

"I need to get some clothes or something because these rags won't allow me to stick around..." Vyse groaned as he shifted the blanket into more of a sack, placing it on his shoulder has he made his way into the town. In the dream he had it was a run down place with a bunch of old soldier sailors just laying about. It was a rather depressing place but at least it had signs of life. However, as Vyse walked the trail into the rusted building square, there was some differences from his dream and now. The major difference was that there were no signs of life, just whistling, whirling machines that were on their last breath of life.

"Well...this certainly isn't what I expected..." Vyse sighed, stepping further into the ghostly town. Regardless of the negative atmosphere introduced to him due to the lack of life that resided within it, Vyse was able to stay positive as he began to search the merchant shacks that were spread throughout it.

"I wonder how I was able to picture this place...maybe I remember seeing it as a kid when I was taken...either way, I have to stay positive," Vyse shook his head, casting aside his unnecessary thoughts as he tried to open the first merchant's door. It was if it was being blocked by concrete blocks on the opposite side of the door as he tried to push it open. He stood back for a moment, placing his hand over his mouth as he thought to himself about what to do. Curious to the shape of the rest of the building, Vyse circled around it until he found a corroded portion of the rusty complex.

"Sorry for this, I do hate stealing from anything other than Valuans, but this is an emergency," Vyse said as he gave it a strong kick. Taking only a few kicks, the wall bursted inCarefully he stayed back, kicking down parts of wall off it with his ratty boots that he had salvaged from the sunken wreckage within the Rift. After it seemed wide enough, Vyse stooped his way inside.

Everything inside was withering away; all of the once polished, sharpened and crafted blades that had the heart and soul put into them had become nothing more than rusty shambles. Shields, swords, guns, they were all nothing more but relics of a more lively time. Regardless of the dismal display, Vyse began searching the place, leaving nothing unturned. If there was one thing Vyse was, it was tenacious. Searching behind the counter, he came across in interesting, long box that was hidden from plain view. Removing it from beneath the counter, he plopped it onto of it with a loud ploof sending dust flying in all directions.

After a little coughing and wafting away the dust, Vyse carefully undid the three latches that held it shut. Upon opening it, the shining sight of a golden scabard reflected the harsh light from the broken in wall, blinding him temporarily. Shifting his position, he raised up the scabbared carefully and slid the blade out to take a gander. He immediately noticed that it was a hand shaved and crafted moonstone saber, one that a captain of a ship would holster. Completely unsheathing it, he was able to see all of the finer details; Metal clasps held the blade up a third through its length with the rest being shaved and shaped into a fine, sharp curve. It was clearly made for a valuan officer given that the blade was cats eye gold just like their moon. The handle alone had a gold hand guard that ended in a regal looking lion's head on the bottom of the handle, which was crafted with a lot of blood, sweat and tears. His eyes lit up with awe and his heart raced as he removed it from its casket completely; it was if he had just found some serious buried treasure.

"Beautiful...I can't believe that anyone would leave a blade like this here," Vyse said in amazement. Completely removing it from its home, he began swinging and thrusting it, getting a feel for its weight and shape with every movement. He recalled Enrique from his dreams wielding a sword similar to this, except it wasn't nearly as emaculant and beautiful as the one that he now held nor did it have such a fine curve.

"If nothing else I'm at least able to defend myself now," Vyse said with a smile as he returned the blade to its scabbard. He placed it back into the box as he searched around further. In the corner he found a small wrack of clothes that were all hung pitifuly upon it. They were as dusty as the ground in which he had been walking and much of it was in tathers from where insects or time had worn and torn the fabric. Fortunately he was able to find one uniform that wasn't completely in shambles. It was a basic sailor's attire with the colors of the Valuan armada splashed all over it.

"With this I may be able to sneak aboard a Valuan ship so that I can get back to civilization...assuming one flies by..." Vyse said with a grin once again. Without delay he removed his boots, shedding his poor excuse of clothes to the ground before dawning the dusty, but intact uniform that hung before him. Looking in the mirror he finally looked like a real sailor. It too reminded him of Enrique, except far less flashy. He slid his poorly worn boots back onto his feet then grabbed the beautiful blade from the shelf, carefully equipping it to his side. He then shuffled over to his blankets removing as much gold as he could into the uniform pockets so that keeping the sheet wouldn't be such an awkward carry. After pocketing enough to get by, he rolled up the rest within the sheet like a sleeping back.

"I guess I'll just leave this here for now," Vyse said to himself. With a hefty breath he pulled his wits together, this time unlocking the rusted door to the shop, opening it, he returned to the ghastly excuse of a town, now searching for anything else that could become of use to him. Just like the main shop, he tried kicking his way into the ship parts store, only to find it locked tight like a treasure chest. Knowing that it probably wouldn't help him at all to go in, he returned his attention to the town, now curious if the bar where he had met the sailor Don was existant.

Walking up the small path that was at the edge of the shops he saw a building similar to the bar from his dream, but instead it had collapsed with nothing but shrapnal and debris around. It looked as if it had been destroyed by cannons from a ship, which wouldn't have surprised him. He turned back to head the other way when suddenly the scurrying sound of feet could be heard gracing the dirt grounds. Vyse's hand immediately snapped onto the handle of the saber, keeping it sheathed as he turned his vision around, only to find nothing in sight.

"Hello?!" Vyse called out, staying on guard as he shifted around. He knew that a sound like that couldn't be produced by a breeze nor normal fiends one would find flying through the skies. He charged up the mound where the battered and beaten bar once stood, whipping his sights around unil he caught sight of a figure darting behind the shambles of the structure.

"Don't be scared, I am not a threat to you," Vyse called out, removing his hand from the sabers handle. Taking a deep breath, Vyse jogged over to where the figured had vanished too, taking a peek around to find nothing but footprints. Suddenly, feet began stomping his way, as if to attack. He quickly turned to see a crusty, downtrodden gentleman coming at him with a knife. Vyse quickly shifted to the side, tripping the man into the dirt before crashing his knee into the man's back to pin him down. The man began flailing about, trying everything in his power to escape Vyse's weight but failed miserably.

"Stop this now, I'm not here to hurt you," Vyse said, his words calming the frantic man. The man nodded and tossed aside the knife to signal for a surrender to his might. Vyse said heavily as he removed his leg from the gents back, now offering out his hand to the stranger. The man's face looked like it had seen a million skies, weathered from wind exposure and broken eyes that had seen way too many cannons from the victims end. His uniform was that of a Valuan sailor, he appeared to be niether a black nor a blue rogue, but one of his own will. The man took Vyse's hand, raising to his dusty boots before meeting Vyse's eyes.

"Sorry...the last ones that came to savange tried to kill me..." The man coughed, knocking his fist against his chest to get out the gunk in his chest. Taking a large breath the man stood up straight, releasing it after regaining his composure.

"It's alright. I can understand how you'd be so cautious. Judging from your uniform I'm guessing you used to be a Valuan soldier?" Vyse asked, the man taken by surprise, running his fingers along his sun dried mustache.

"Indeed I was, another lifetime ago. You seem to look like a Valuan soldier as well, tell me, are you a new recruit of sorts?" the man said, his speech a bit slurred. It didn't take Vyse long to realize that the man was reaking of liquor and bad food, but he decided not to speak of it.

"My name is Vyse, I traveled here from within the Dark Rift. My boat couldn't..." Before Vyse could finish his sentence the man got up in Vyse's face. He looked over him carefully, as if he were some sort of illusion. Vyse stiffened up the closer the man got, the stink of the man's breath beginning to make his stomach churn. Finally the man steeped back, staring right in Vyse's eyes.

"You...wouldn't happen to be from Pirate Isle...would you?" the man said fearfully. Vyse simply gave him a confirming nod, watching as the drunkard began to cower in his boots.

"It can't be, you can't be that kid...that's impossible! How could you escape from the Rift?!" The man stuttered, falling onto his rear due to his shakey legs. Vyse just stared at him as he coward, trembling as if he were now staring death in the face.

"I've been trapped there ever since I was 7. It wasn't until today that I realized what had become of my life. So I scrounged up every piece of materials I could find and somehow made my way out of the Rift. My ship, well if you could call it that, fell to pieces at the dock and now I'm kind of stuck here," Vyse sighed, the man now sliding back along the ground until his back was against the rubble of the once homely bar.

"Please forgive me lad! Please forgive me! I was just following orders! They had my family hostage and I just had to do as they said!" the man began to rant, too frightened to move from his small little spot on the ground. Vyse's eyes turned to that of pity as the man shook and coward before him. It was clear to Vyse that the armada had broken this man into doing their bidding.

"I can tell you're lying through your teeth for your exuses, but I can tell that Valua had been less than kind to you. I don't hold it against you, so please, stop cowering," Vyse said kindly, holding out his hand. The man stared as if he had been granted God's forgiveness as he took Vyse's hand once more, pulling himself out of the dirt.

"Thank you...thank you!" the man said as tears filled his eyes, his hands shaking Vyse's vigorously. Vyse sighed and yanked his hand away from the groveling man's wiping it off on his new clothes as the sailor pulled it together.

"My name is Don and I am at your service, Vyse," Don said with an awkward, untable bow. Vyse's eyes widened as he compared the Don from his dreams with the one that stood before him. It was clear to him now as to why he would remember this place, and why he would remember Don in his former glory. Vyse shook his head to regain his nerves, putting on a smile at the remotely familiar face.

"Thanks Don, now...do you happen to know a way to get off this ghost town? Vyse asked, almost completely convinced that there would be no immediate hope, however, Don smirked and pounded upon his chest victoriously in reply.

"Aye, indeed I do. She...admittadly needs a bit of work, but I know that the engine still runs perfectly! Yes I have a ship," Don's words swayed around like and ocean, waving for Vyse to follow him. Curiously, Vyse followed Don as he led him all around Esperanza. It was like following a kid that forgot where he hid his candy. Finally, after a few hours of running in circles, Don finally found his ship that was tied to the opposite side of Esperanza away from the port area. As anticipated, it was a bit of a mess; its steel cabin looked as if he had torn parts off the rusty buildings and structures while the the main body had more than a fair share of patched up spots from where something either blew or holes were made. Vyse sighed and scratched the back of his head, knowing that there would be no other solution.

"If have this, then why stay in Esperanza? Surely you could've left some time ago," Vyse asked. Hopping aboard the medium sized vessel, Don waved him on board as if ignoring his question. Regardless of how confusing the Don before him was, he decided it would be best not to pry to much.

"The guilt...the guilt of the horrible things I'd done under that cursed Valuan flag...I didn't feel that I deserved to be with the rest of society after the attrocities that I had committed, but alas, seeing you come back from the Rift gives me a new hope. Thank you Vyse, thank you," Don said, still slurring and stumbling about the vessel as Vyse hopped aboard. It was all so crazy, the life that he had rediscovered. He couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't, but he did know was that he was aboard a ship once again, and he was ready to sea the world for a second time.

"Don...will you stick by me for awhile until I can get my own ship? I'm still not too sure how this world is or how it truly works. I need you to be the beacon that guides me back to the life I have lost. Can you do that for me?" Vyse said with his signature smirk, immediately being returned by another pound upon Don's chest. And so the two men, one of regret and one of bravery, decided to embark on their own journey. As to where they were to end up was beyond their knowing, but all Vyse knew now was that his hope had been restored with the familiarity of the unfamiliar man at his side.

To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Twisted Skies

"Do you know how to handle with of these gals Vyse?" Don said as he popped open another bottle of liguor. It was clear to Vyse now that this man was prepared to drink himself to death after the horrid things that he had done, which only pushed Vyse to work harder to help break him free of his own addictive chains.

"Aye aye. Also, does this ship have a name?" Vyse said, jumping up and grasping a hold of the wheel. Contrary to the structure looking none too promising, the wheel and guages were in excellent condition. Spinning it a few times back and fourth, he remember his dreams when he was flying the Albatross and the Delphinus. Closing his eyes, he visualized the maps that were in his head, desperately holding onto them before a smile formed upon his face.

"Its called Magdeline, after my daughter," Don replied taking a swig of his liquor. Vyse grabbed a hold of the wheel and gripped a hold of the throttle.

"Off we go! Magdeline is sailing off!" Vyse shouted, putting the boat into gear and steering off the pear. Vyse felt a wee bit wobbly as it took off, its shaking and sputtering making it a little difficult to balance himself. Fortunately once they were in the air moving, the engine ran as clean as a whistle.

"I can't believe it, I'm actually sailing again! Well...for the first time I suppose..." Vyse sighed heavily, remorse filling his words as he turned his gaze to the open sky. Don took another swig of his liquor, plopping it down on a table that had a map upon it. Carefully analyzing the map with his blurry, booze filled eyes, he was able to chart a course with only minimal effort, clearly he used to be a good sailor.

"OK Vyse, we're going to follow the mountain side until we hit the sandy air of Nasr. From there we're going to go through the straight then make a b-line right for Sailor's Island, you get that? Do you understand what I mean?" Don slurred a bit as Vyse gave him a confident nod. Somehow the map and course they were taking matched up with the maps from his dreams, which gave him a sort of sick feeling to his gut. Shakin it off, he spun the wheel, making a perfect curve around the mountain. He heard Don shuffling up to his position, stumbling forward to take a gander at his side.

"That's a mighty fine turn for a green sailor like yourself, I'm impressed. Oh! I have something for ya that may help you see a bit better since the windows aren't in anymore..." Don said, stepping back. Vyse took a peek to the side where Don was now digging through an old trunk full of all kinds of junk and useful tools. He then removed something that Vyse missed very much. It was a one eye parascope patch much like he had worn in his dream which seemed so long ago now. He handed it to Vyse, who quickly shifted his hair, snapping it around his head and adjusting it until his sight returned to what it was in the world he missed.

"Don, this...this is going to sound strange but this really means a lot me, thank you," Vyse said, wiping the dust off of the lens.

"Think nothin' of it, I dun use it anymore so its all yours," Don said, plopping down in a chair that was bolted at one end of the table. It wasn't long before Don passed out, his upper torso sprawled over the table as Vyse took in the sweet smells of the wind that he missed so much.

"Not exactly like my dream, but this is still incredible...I hope that I can find Aika and Fina again, and mom and dad too..." Vyse said with a sigh, still smiling as he made a shift into the sandy air of Nasr. As pleasant as it all was, his sights turned from carefree to fierce as he noticed several black pirate ships circling around the area.

"What the...this is off..." Vyse said, his immiately growing vigilant of the situation. He tilted the ship so that it sailed down a bit lower, trying to stay out of view of the pirates that circled in the air like buzzards around their dinner. Unfortunately, a cannon ball flew overhead, meaning that they had been spotted.

"Crap...Don! Wake up! We're under attack!" Vyse shouted, raising the rustbucket of a ship back up to normal altitude. Don whined and groaned as he sat back up in his chair, whipping his eyes as he let out a lazy yawn.

"What's what now? Did you say we're under attack?" Don said, immediately shifting his sights past Vyse to see a black pirate ship heading their way. Don immediately hopped to his feet, turning to the back of the main cable where he lifted up a trap door.

"I'll get down to the cannons, we only have two on the right side so make sure you approach appropriately," Don said. His drunken slurs cleared up, giving his voice the old authorative tone that it once had years ago, which made Vyse smile a bit.

"If the Little Jack could do it, so can we!" Vyse said, gripping the wheel with a grin on his face. He made a hard turn to the left, lining up against the pirate ships 4 cannon hubs with their mesly two.

"Fire away Don!" Vyse shouted. Don knocked up on the floor beneath Vyse as a cannon shot smashed into the black pirate's haul. Vyse then immediately spun the wheel for what it was worth in an attempt to catch the enemy ship at its rear. Sadly however, the poor ship in which he was sailing was very limited on power, which made his valiant attempt at a flank look like a lazy u-turn instead.

"Uh oh...not as agile as I was hoping..." Vyse said, sighing as he quickly raised elevation to avoid a volley of cannon fire. Its speed wasn't great, but its vertical climbing was incredible.

"Load up for the next volley!" Vyse shouted stomped around the ground, being returned with a knocking from the floor. His father taught him when he was 6 that small ships required a lot of sounds and movements to communicate during high alert situations. Vyse touched the side of his eyescope, zooming in on the cabin to see exactly who they were up against. A black bandana was wrapped tight around their captain's head with small, stray orange hairs poking out from beneath. Vyse tried to vear away but he noticed something strange about one of the cannons. He watched as a chained projectile was shoved and armed into their cannon, ready to fire at will. With a loud boom, the whistling of the projectile and chain echoed between their ships, easily piercing their haul and latching onto it like a grappling hook.

"Damn it! Don! Fire what shots we have, we're about to be boarded!" Vyse shouted, grabbing a wheel brace from beside the table and locked it around it to maintain a steady course. Vyse sighed heavily but smiled as his hand ran over the intricate design of his new sword. Remembering all the combat between him and the valuan armada in his dream gave him the confidence he needed to combat these scoundrels about to board. With both cannons firing away, Don immediately rose up from the lower deck, pulling a pistol from within his uniform pocket.

"I hope you can fight boy, because this won't be easy," Don said, grasping a hold of the liguor bottle from the table and taking a swig. Vyse shook his head as Don laid it back down, both of them now running out onto their front deck to stare at the ship on approach. Hooks were thrown from the opposing ship, easily latching onto the ship that was now helplessly at the pirate's mercy. Vyse whipped out the blade from its sheath with a satisfying slice of the air, a wide, confident smile forming on his face as he cut the rope to the hooks with one swing, proving that the blade was more than just for show. The pirates roared from the other side, with more hooks being thrown with the pirates immediately flying upon them. Vyse got into his battle stance as Don cocked the hammer of his pistol, ready to give them a fight. Three pirates landed on their deck with a cluttered stomp, all of them with weapons in hand.

"We will take your life you Valuan trash! Stay out of our skies!" The pirate to the front said as a threat. Vyse shook his head, gripping a hold of his handle as he channeled the power of the moonstone blade.

"Moons, give me strength!" Vyse shouted. A sudden burst of light shot out from the blade, with screeching thunder following its ray. One of the pirates tried to defend the lightning shot, but was instead lit up with the electrical embace, his body falling to the deck like a ragdoll. Don gazed in Vyse in amazement before taking aim, planting a shot into the chest of the pirate next to him, causing him to stagger then taking another shot to drop him to the deck. Clashing blades with the next pirate in line, Vyse took advantage of the curve in his blade, sliding the foe's blade from his before slashing the pirate in the gut, dropping him ontop of his fellow pirate that had been shocked before him. Vyse found himself groaning as he watched another 3 pirates yelling, sliding onto the deck of their small with ease.

"Damn, they just keep coming!" Vyse growled, clashing his blade against two of the opposing enemies. Not having his parrying cutlass put him at a disadvantage considering he had trained with them. Even if it were just in a dream, it was better than nothing. Vyse used his strength to push them off, giving him enough time to hop back to gain some distance between them. Thinking quickly, Vyse was surrounded by an aura once more, Don moving to his front to act as a guard. Don's pistol cackled with the gusts of Vyse's magical charge, catching each pirate with a shot to the leg.

"Moons! Give me strength!" Vyse cried. Instead of electrical surges however, the ground beneath them began to glow and wayne black and yellow. The pirates rose to their feet but felt as if they couldn't move too well as the result.

"You're pretty damn good with that magic Vyse," Don chuckled, shooting the three foolish pirates down til their bodies hit the ground. Vyse began to run out of breath as his the spell disapated, his body not used to such strain upon it.

"This...is a lot more tiring than in my dreams..." Vyse huffed, wiping the sweat from his brow. After heaving the bodies of the now done for pirates over the side of his ship, Don then took aim at the hooks, snapping each rope with moonstone bullets.

"They'll probably blow us sky high now, but at least we put up a fight," Don said with a hefty sigh, returning to the cabin. Vyse shook his head as his teeth clenched tightly, watching as the pirates re-armed their cannons once more. Suddenly, a thought popped into his mind that caused a sly smile to grace his face.

"Don! Keep the ship steady and raise altitude!" Vyse shouted, dashing past Don and hopping down into the lower deck. Don quickly took the wheel, moving the throttle and the wheel to keep up with the opposing ship's movement. Vyse kicked out what worn rust was left from what still scraped against the ship hook that bound their ships together, waiting for the altitude to be high enough for his plan to be set into motion. As Magdeline rose up, the cannons from the pirate ship rose as well, ready to drop it out of the sky.

"I'm at maximum altitude, do what you're gonna do boy!" Don shouted, stomping on the ground. Vyse replied to his phrase with a knock beneath him, sheathing his sword and hopping up on the chain that was connected to the hook.

"IT'S DO OR DIE!" Vyse shouted, psyching himself up as he swiftly surfed down the long, thick chain. Upon arrival, Vyse manage to knock back the chain's home, allowing him to force his way inside in a grandeous fashion. He immediately whipped his blade from its sheath, cutting into the two unsuspecting pirates that were manning the cannon. Trying to desperately remove their own swords, Vyse made quick work of them, leaving them on the floor as he turned his attention towards the stairwell doors.

"I better make this quick or Don is done for!" Vyse said soundly, kicking out the door and charging up the creaking wooden steps that lined the small cabins that were housed in the ship haul. Vyse stopped just outside of the last door that would lead into the main cabin, taking time to catch his breath as he heard more cannons going off.

"Please be OK Don..." Vyse side as he heard cannon shots crashing against Magdeline's frail, steel frame from the second floor of cannons. Keeping Don's safety in mind, he retreated from the door, busting his way into the second floor cannon bay where two pirates were heavily focused on Magdeline.

"Two more shots will do that junker in," one of them said, shifting the cannon upwards once more. Vyse's vailant foot steps caught the two pirates' attentions, but they were too slow to prevent their deaths at Vyse's hands. Vyse was too far gone in the sword play and adrenaline for it to occur to him that he was now slaughtering pirates. Granted they attacked first, but Vyse's good heart would certainly feel the backlash of these events.

"All that's left is the bridge..." Vyse huffed as he returned to the door. Only a few minutes went by before he caught his breath. Vyse took a hefty breath, releasing it with a grunt as he bashed his shoulder into the door, causing it to burst open into the cabin. Stepping in, Vyse found himself at the tip of at least four seperate swords, all awaiting for their guest to arrive. Vyse smirked then grabbed a hold of the door, leaping back towards the stairs and slamming it shut. Vyse quickly darted down the stairs, lurring them into the cannon room that he arrived in. It was a very good choke point, which would allow Vyse to fight his foes a few at a time. As if on cue, the pirates poured in a few at a time, allowing Vyse to easily discard them all from the fray with minimal effort. Vyse paused for a moment as reality kicked in. His hands began to shake as he looked down at them as they shook vigorously.

"There's a lot of blood on my hands..." Vyse said with regret. He knew deep down it was either kill or be killed, but this was the first time he had ever been on the killing end. He shook his head, remembering that he had a task at hand as he ran back up the steps, once again making his way onto the bridge. Stepping through the door he came face to face with the person that clearly held the title of captain. Taking a strong breath and snapping his sword to the side, his eyes narrowed aggressively at theirs. The black bandana covered everything that would be upon their head and they also wore a face mask that covered across their face.

"My crew...each and everyone of them was dear to me...Valuan scum, how dare you come aboard my ship and take them from me!" The captain roared. Although muffled, Vyse picked up a feminine back drop to the words, causing him to gaze over them once more.

"If you didn't want them to die you shouldn't have attacked my ship. That man in that ship is all I have, so you and I are in the same position here. Why attack such a miniscule vessal such as the one I was in? Its pretty clear we have no precious cargo," Vyse inquired, trying to keep his cool as he kept on guard.

"I attacked you because you are a Valuan! Your uniform, your sword, and your malice towards pirates screams it out loud!" the captain yelled, reaching into their large coat. Vyse rose his blade, readying himself for a fight at any moment.

"I'm not a Valuan! My name is Vyse. My father, Dyne, was one of the head captains of the Blue Rogues. If you're looking for a Valuan foe, look elsewhere. All I ask is that you leave our ship alone," Vyse said. The captain paused for a moment, as if cast in stone. They stepped towards Vyse with their heavy boots clomping the floor, each step a bit heavier than the last.

"Vyse...did I hear you correctly?" The captain asked, lowering their mask from their lips. Vyse stood sternly with blade in hand, gazing at the captain with remorseful eyes.

"Yes, my name is Vyse, I am from Pirate Isle, a small town near Shrine Island. I was abducted when I was very little and cast off into the dismal Dark Rift," Vyse said. He noticed odd tears forming in the corners of the captains eyes as she withdrew what looked like a strange, L-Shaped blade from their coat.

"You can't be...Vyse is dead...you must be lying to trick me! I can't let you walk away after what you've done!" The captain shouted, this time revealing that they were clearly female. The blade was rather thick and shined with the green moonstone. Vyse immediately clashed against he L-Shaped blade, grinding its surface against it. Shifting his wrist with the curve his blade, he slid the blade off of his, immediately slashing her in her side to attempt to disable her. To his surprise, she felt to one knee, taking a swing at his ankles. He quickly hopped back, giving her enough time to stand back up.

"That blade...for some reason it looks familiar..." Vyse said, readying his blade once more. His memories of the grand adventure were fairly clear, however, there were snippets of it that seemed to be a blur, memories that were just out of his reach. The captain suddenly hurled the blade at him, piercing the air with its spin. Vyse dove beneath it, his memories beginning to grow clear as he heard the blade head right for him from behind. He dove forward, narrowly escaping the blades return as it split a few hairs from behind his head. He hooked the dull side of his blade behind the captain's ankle, pulling back to put them onto the floor. The blade flew past them, smashing out the viewing window while Vyse rested a knee upon her stomach his blade pointed at her face.

"Just finish me off, let me be with the rest of my crew you Valuan piece of trash..." the captain said, tears beginning to crawl down her cheeks. That's when it finally hit Vyse; this person's attitude, their determination, even their temper, it could only be one person. Vyse retreated his blade, sheathing it before placing his head on the brim of the bandana. The captain shifted her eyes to the side as he removed it, revealing bright, orange tinted hair that fell to her shoulders.

"Aika...is it really you?" Vyse said, his own eyes filling with tears of joy. She returned her eyes to Vyse's face, reaching up to run her finger along a small scar that he obtain when he protected her during a wind storm when traveling with his father.

"V-Vyse!" Aika's tears began to fall uncontrollably, an avoidable smile of joy forming upon her lips as she pulled him into an intense hug.

"V-Vyse...can't believe you are alive! I thought the Valuans killed you!" Aika cried uncontrollably, gripping onto him for dear life. Vyse sighed heavily, removing her arms from him so that they could stand. Raising to their feet, Aika once again clasped around him, now sobbing into his chest helplessly. Vyse gently brushed his fingers through her hair, clearly she had been through a lot. She then stepped back as she saw that his face had a smile, but his eyes were cold and hurt. Aika then noticed all of the blood on his hands and splotches on his clothes before looking back at him.

"Vyse...are you...OK? How...did you learn to fight like this?" Aika asked. Vyse sheathed his blade and sighed, still keeping up a smiling facade as he held his hand to her.

"Oh Vyse...please don't be sad...you had to do what you had to do to save yourself and your friend in the other ship...sure these men were close to me, but we were more along the lines of just..." Aika tried to bring some relief to Vyse's conciounce, but shook his head, raising his hand to get her attention.

"I'll be fine, I may not show it but I am feeling more joy than you could possibly imagine. I just feel that I have let down my father as well as the Blue Rogues code of honor. Hopefully when I see him again..." Vyse's words stopped cold as he looked back at Aika, who was now shaking her head in defiance to his words.

"You...won't see him again...Pirate Isle, our home, has been destroyed and sent to the deep sky..." Aika said, walking up to Vyse who was now staring off at nothing, as he had just seen an entire armada of Valuan ships headed straight for him. Aika could only imagine the horrors that Vyse had to go through to return to the glorious skies in which they lived. All she could do was to hold him close, which was about the same as hugging a statue. They stayed in that moment for what seemed like an hour, trying to help Vyse through the horrible truth of the world to which he returned.

To Be Continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Tainted Skies and the Angel of Death

Vyse found his spirit cold and ill as he helped Don remove all of the deceased pirates off of Aika's ship. Body after body, they were forced to hoist them over the sides of the ship, grimacing at the horrid aftermath of a pointless battle.

"So, Vyse, what're you gonna do now that you found someone you know? Certainly you won't a useless drunk like me around," Don asked, helping Vyse with one of the heavier ones. Vyse sighed, his eyes staring down at the floor as they finally managed to get it overboard.

"I...don't really know. I've never killed anyone before for better or worse so I'm still in shock from that. I know I haven't shown it but I am happy beyond words to have found Aika, in finding her I feel as if I now have hope. What about you Don? I still don't feel that I'm experienced enough to be without guidance just yet...Will you still fly with us?" Vyse asked, wiping the sweat from his brow. Don smiled and leaned back to pop his back before gazing back into Vyse's eyes.

"So you know I am a terrible role model, if I'm honestly the best guidance you've got you'll certainly find yourself in trouble. However, I would be honored to continue to be your guidance. Besides, from what I hear there are no more free skies, so I will probably stay with the both of you for my own safety for awile, that and to help," Don replied as they turned to face the inside of the ship, Vyse's gaze glancing over to Don in confusion.

"What...do you mean there are no free skies?" Vyse asked as strong shock of uneasiness struck his mind. Don sighed, turning back towards the steps that lead back into the main cabin at the top of the ship.

"I mean Valua controls nearly every inch of the sky. The results of the Valuan-Nasr War from many years ago were catastrophic, leaving less than a handful of areas out of their reach. Of course, all of those places are pretty much considered a loft for those who want to remain from view so their locations are quite tight lipped. That's why I went to Esparanza, because I wanted to escape Valua's tyrany," Don said with a stern feeling of remorse buried within its core. Vyse couldn't believe what he was hearing. He thought he knew that the skies were so vast and grand, far too much for any one ruling force to control, but then again, it was all just a glamorous dream. Stepping up into the main cabin, Aika had tightened up her emotions and was already at the helm, stearing away back towards familiar skies.

"I'm charting a course for Sailor's Island, we need supplies, Don's ship will need repairs and I want to check the wanted list to see who is still fighting against Valua. I've found it a handy list for finding other black pirates to join and to sail the sky with. In fact, this ship used to belong to Baltor the Black Bearded before he was captured.

The ship was found wrecked and abandoned along the some of the floating islands around Nasr's territory, so when I managed to steal enough materials in a little raft that I had, I was able to to fix it with the help of other pirates that caravaned with me. We never really liked each other but respected one another. Fortunately I've been able to stay under the radar of that list, however, its a matter of time before I show up on it as Valua destroys and captures more and more of us. but hey, I see it more as a compliment than a threat," Aika said with a sigh and a vague smile as she turned to Vyse.

"Aika...I find it tragic that you've become a black pirate, but...I'm really impressed you've made it so far on your own. I would've never imagined that you would be the captain of your own ship way before I would," Vyse said, trying to raise the moods morale. Aika's smile grew warm as she left the wheel, walking over to Vyse to grasp around him, shaking as her memories flashed before her eyes.

"All of the terrible things I have done...the stealing...the killing...the guilt...I now know that they were all worth it now that I've found you...Captain Dyne and the others never doubted that you were alive, but your father...he...he became obsessed with finding you, so much that he eventually led the crew to their doom. It was on patrol near the Dark Rift in fact when one of Valua's Armada generals found them. It was a well fought battle but the Albatross couldn't handle its might. That's when I was shoved out into a life boat and was forced to run..." Aika began to pout, putting a fire in Vyse's stomach that began to burn wildly. Vyse gave her a strong squeeze before releasing her, now make his way over to the helm.

"If that's the case, then I am going to restore my family's name, and once again bring the Blue Rogue's flag back to the skies! My father showed me all of North Skies, so I know exactly where we can begin our operations. Now, let's head to Sailor's Island for supplies and then I'll show you the way!" Vyse shouted, moving the helm and spinning the wheel as Sailor's Island came into view. Aika always liked how Vyse would declare large and almost impossible dreams when they were back on Pirate's Island; there was always a charismatic gleam in his eyes that screamed out that his dreams would become a reality. In this moment, Aika saw that gleam once again, which helped snap her from her depressing state of mind and slowly filling her with a new hope.

"I would like that Vyse, let's do it! Oh and by the way, you look really handsome in the uniform. I think I'm beginning to like it," Aika replied, planting a kiss on Vyse's cheek as she walked by. Vyse's face grew warm as he watched a now excited Aika pointing out the docking point for Sailor's Island. Don stepped out the cabin and onto the deck, snagging one of the grappling hooks that was sprawled about it. Swinging it carefully, he tossed it and latched it onto the side of the Magdelin.

He then swung over back to his ship, climbing back up onto the deck then into his cabin to fire the engine back up. He knew that if they were going to port with a giant chain connecting their ships, they'd have to be steady and careful. Don quickly rose his altitude to match Aika's ship, allowing them to smoothly slide right into two docking spaces next to one another. Aika then quickly ran out onto the back deck, grabbing some rope on a pole to bring down the black pirate banner that would certainly get them into some hot water if seen.

"I didn't know we were alowed to port full scale ships instead of just transportation boats, are you sure that's a good idea?" Vyse asked as Aika folded up the flag and carefully placed it in a chest that sat within the main cabin.

"It's always been that way, don't you remember?" Aika said, hopping off onto the dock. Vyse shrugged his shoulders and followed suit with Don meeting them at the door to the town.

"I guess so. I have so much to catch up on," Vyse said, shrugging off the small details. Opening the doors and gazing upon Sailor's Island was quite nostalgic; just like in his dream everything was laid out exactly the same, down to the little river and store placements. He couldn't remember if his father had brought him here at one point, but all the same it didn't really matter. Don wasted no time in entering the tavern, ready to liquor up without a second thought. Aika shook her head and Vyse smirked as they walked further in. Aika grabbed a hold of Vyse's arm, quickly dragging him over to the board of dread, or as Aika liked to call it, the board of fame.

"So this is the bounty list...its surprisingly long," Vyse commented, running his finger along the edge of the name grid.

"It goes to show you how many people have managed to piss off Valua, its pretty amazing right?" Aika said, also looking over the list carefully. Suddenly, Vyse was grabbed and yanked from the rear and onto the ground, a cutlass now being thrust at his face.

"Valuan trash! How dare you show up in this neutral zone!" the man shouted aggressively, glaring at Vyse with intense eyes. Aika immediately sprung into action pushing herself in-between them.

"He's not a Valuan, he's a black pirate like me. He's been wearing the outfit to get undercover to learn more about the Valuan armada from the inside. In fact, he just got done escaping from the Armada Flagship Cygnus. So show him a little respect!" Aika shouted. Vyse was amazed at how freely Aika was able to lie through her teeth. Before in the past, she could never get away with lying to anyone because she were so poor at it, but looking at her now, she had certainly changed a lot. The man re-sheathed his sword, replacing it with a hand to help Vyse to his feet.

"Sorry about that pal, around here we don't take kindly to Valuans comin' around. You definitely look mighty convincing, you even have a sword with a hand guard like that of an armada captain," the man said as Vyse grabbed his hand. The strong sailor easily dragged Vyse off the ground and onto his feet, giving him a complimentary dust off of his uniform.

"Its not a problem, but you certainly scared the crap out of me," Vyse said with a laugh, the man then offered out his hand once more as a friendly gesture.

"My name is Khazim, I'm a former gunner for the Nasrian army. What's your name kiddo?" Khazim asked. For some reason the name sounded awfully familiar to Vyse, but it was such awhile ago it could just be him.

"I'm Vyse, its nice to meet you. I'm glad to see someone looking over this place, I could only imagine how easily Valua could take control of this island," Vyse replied. Aika laughed and gave him a pat on the back.

"There's no profitting them in attacking and seizing Sailor's Island since its just a small port, so they just leave it be. Most places that aren't under Valua's rule are places that haven't provoked them in any way, thus why seeing a Valuan here kind of provoked them. This is a small sanctuary now a days as well as a basic port," Aika replied. Her knowledge of everything in the world was so vast compared to his own, it almost made him question if this was the same Aika he knew when they were kids.

"Oh! I didn't realize that the infamous lady pirate Aika was with you, that's definitely my mistake then," Khazim laughed, causing Aika to blush and sigh while Vyse turned and stared in disbelief.

"Are you really that well known Aika?" Vyse said, more amazed than anything. Aika smirked and turned to him, throwing her arm over his shoulder.

"In North Sky I am, I told you that I'm a captain Vyse. The black pirates, even though we're always butting heads, always have respect for one another like a really dysfunctional family that ends up in bloodshed every now and then. Recently however all the black pirates have been banding together to fight for our freedom in the skies," Aika said with a wink. Vyse's words failed him; not only was Aika alive, not only was she a black pirate, but she was actually well known. It made him wonder what kind of adventures she had to have gone on to make a name for herself. At the same time however, it saddened Vyse, knowing that the cheerful, loving Aika he once knew was forced into thievary and violence. It was right there when Vyse truly realized how tainted the skies were.

"Well enjoy a little freedom you two, I'm off to the lighthouse to keep watch," Khazim said, giving Vyse a firm pat on the back before turning away.

"You've become one heck of a pirate Aika, you lie, cheat, and steal just like the best of them..." Vyse said with sadness in his voice. Aika smiled and shrugged, returning to the board to scan the list further.

"I didn't have a choice Vyse...I was all alone with nowhere to go. You know me, if I do something, I give it my all, for better or worse. So becoming a black pirate, I wasn't going to be looked down upon by the others, so I had to make a name for myself. Speaking of...I finally made it onto the board of fame!" Aika said with excitement, pointing to the very bottom of the 20 person list. Vyse stooped down to get a better look at the description.

"Wanted: Aika the Lady Pirate. Real name: Aika Thompson. Wanted for pillaging Valuan merchant ships and being a member of the Black Resistance. Recent activities have been reported in North Sky zones. Known to be hostile and aggressive, it is best not to approach her ship, the Orange Swallow, unless on the initiative attack. Bounty: 5,000 Gold. Wow Aika, that's crazy," Vyse said, proud of Aika that she's making a name for herself one way or another. Aika groaned and looked down at the listing with disappointment.

"5,000 Gold...that's insulting! Is that really all they're offering for my capture...?!" Aika's angry scowl made a smile grow on Vyse's face, it seems the Aika he once knew was clearly in there after all.

"Well you are at the bottom of the list, and you said you weren't on the list before so that's an accomplishment right? I mean, it means you really are making a name for yourself and a difference for this dark skies we are finding outselves in," Vyse filled Aika's ears with a sick sense of encouragement. Growing up the two of them learned that black pirates were the lowest of the low, but from the way Vyse saw it at this point, they were the new Blue Rogues.

"I guess your right, I mean, that means that the other Black Pirates will have to respect me a little bit more so that's nice. You know...I really have missed you Vyse...you and that amazing positive attitude of yours. And you know...I...um...I am really impressed with how you've turned out considering what happened to you. I always knew you were going to be the handsome boy you were as a kid. Very rarely have I seen too many attractive Black Pirates so...this is perfect. You know I've always like you...right?" Aika said, swooning and swaying with a red face. Vyse was shocked how bold Aika had become, much like how she couldn't get away with lying, she always put up a good front, keeping her feelings guarded. But right now, it was clearly the complete opposit. Not that he minded of course, he's always like Aika as she had liked him, it was just so...strange.

"I uh...thanks Aika, you've really grown into more of a lady, I...I also find that very attractive," Vyse stumbled over his words hard enough to ram his head into a wall, which made Aika release a small giggle as a retort.

"We can talk about that more later, we need to shop for supplies. Wait...CRAP! I forgot my gold!" Aika groaned, feeling around her coat desperately to find her money container. Panicing, she threw off her coat, shaking it up and down to try and see if anything would fall out. Vyse watched in amusement as she began to stomp the ground in frustration.

"Yep, definitely the same old Aika," Vyse said to himself with a smile.

"Craaaaaap I guess I gotta walk back out to the ship...stay here Vyse this will only take a second," Aika said, dropping her head in defeat. Before she had a chance to step away, Vyse blocked her path, shaking his jacket to reveal the hand fulls of gold that he kept from his time in the Dark Rift.

"Don't worry Aika, I'll pay for whatever it is. Trust me, I have more than enough," Vyse said patting her head like she was a child. Aika batted his hand off of his head and laughed.

"Hey cut that out, I'm more of a lady now you said so yourself!" Aika scoffed, walking away towards the small shopping area for supplies. Vyse just laughed and stayed at her side as they walked further in. Shopping seemed to go by quickly, as if it were nothing more than a passing day dream. Although it took them hours, to Vyse it felt like minutes, as if stepping back into his dream that he missed so much. Upon return to the central square, he noticed that Aika had gone deathly quiet, not to mention that she wasn't at his side. In fact, Vyse turned around to see that he was all alone as the doors to the port opened up.

"Aika?" Vyse called, immediately turning back around to see in incredibly strange person walking in. Her hair was wild, she had three stiff ponytails protruding from the rear, every shade a brilliant shimmering saphire blue while her bangs in the front hung just above her eyes, with their color being as white as snow. Her eyes matched the brilliant blue just like her hair with their gaze being as cold as ice. Her outfit was a mesh work of black leather and straps with curved blades resting on the top of her boots. What really caused Vyse to feel nervous was the wicked scythe that was strapped to her back that easily looked that it could shred through anything with ease.

She removed what appeared to be a seal of some sort, like the kind a captain would keep in his coat as a sign of his position as she reached the door. Her eyes wandered over to catch Vyse in the eyes before walking in through the guild doors. Suddenly, Aika re-appeared like a magician behind him, looking cautiously as the guild doors shut.

"We need to get out of here, like now," Aika said with a voice filled with fear. It was another new experience with Vyse seeing Aika scared for her life.

"What's wrong Aika? You look like you got a glimpse of death or something," Vyse inquired. Aika took a steadying breath to regain her wits before walking up to Vyse's side.

"That's exactly what I got a glimpse of. That girl that just came in...her nickname is "The Angel of Death", she earned that nickname because she hunts down and kills any and every air pirate that meets your gaze. She would only show up here if she had bounty to obtain for killing a pirate on the list or to follow one that she may have spotted. So right now, we are in GRAVE danger," Aika said shaking ever so slightly as she grasped onto Vyse's arm.

"She looked familiar for some reason, I think we've met her before," Vyse said, trying to piece together the fuzzy memory that was floating around in his mind. It when he went to rub and itch from his face that he realised who she was. Tracing his fingers along his scar, it was like opening a door with a key that was long lost to time.

"Yeah we have met her! It was that girl that was aboard the Aquila, remember? That ship that we tried to help way back? She was the one that gave me the scar on my cheek..." Vyse said, sighing heavily.

"Wait...wouldn't that mean she'd recognize us if she saw us?" Aika asked, turning pale as the guild door opened. Fortunately it was nothing more than a man leaving from the port.

"I don't think so, I mean, its been an incredibly long time since then, around 10 years right? You and I have both changed a lot since then," Vyse said, grasping onto to Aika's wrist. They quickly dashed into the tavern, shifting their sights around to try and find Don. Sure enough, Don was sitting in the middle of the bar, his face red and cheery as he chatted it up with the young bartender. The two of them decided to sneak on by, sitting at the far end of the bar to try and hide just in case she may enter. Don turned to notice the two of them at the end laughing and waving for them to come over, clearly unaware of their situation.

"Aika! Vyse! Get over here, have a drink with me!" Don shouted out obnoxiously. Vyse and Aika tried to ignore the drunken cry of their comrade but with another shout they came over anyway.

"You do realize we are too young to drink right?" Aika said, with Don waving his hand in front of his face.

"Nah don't worry 'bout that, they don't care here, so come on, drink up!" Don said handing Vyse a mug of liquor. He sighed and looked over at Aika, raising it to his lips.

"I'm doing this so he'll quiet down," Vyse said, tilting the mug back along with his head. To his surprise, the taste of the curious smelling elixir was rather pleseant; it was a mixure of a light liquor with moonberries with a little cream stirred in. Before Vyse knew it, the mug was empty.

"Wow...that was actually really good," Vyse said wiping his lips with his sleeve. Don grinned wide and gave him a big pat on the back.

"See? I'm not totally crazy, so come on, lighten up!" Don laughed, knocking on the table to refill Vyse's mug. Vyse couldn't help but to smile at the fool, plopping down next to him while Aika kept watch. Normally Aika would scold Vyse for doing something like this, but only knowing a sliver about the horrors Vyse had been through, he honestly needed something to help make his troubles go away.

"I guess it can't hurt...after all if anyone were to get attacked it'd be me..." Aika said with a sigh, now sitting down next to Vyse. Time seemed to stand still as the three of them enjoyed themselves at the bar. It was if it were a small little world that kept them safe from lifes hardships. However, the small safe haven was soon to become a battleground. Vyse, red in the face turned his head to noticed something rather unsettling; slowly stepping into the bar was the girl known as "The Angel of Death". Trying to maintain his cool, he jabbed Aika in the waist, tilting his head to get her attention as she chatted it up with the bartender.

"Oh crap," Aika said facing forward, trying to appear casual. Don had no problems since he was quite clearly a regular sailor while Vyse appeared to be a Valuan officer, thus leaving Aika as the odd girl out in the situation. Taking slow, steady steps inward, Vyse shifted his eyes to see her looking about the room, as if she could smell the fear rising within the room.

"Everyone...I noticed that the notorious pirate ship, the Orange Swallow, is sitting in the port...if anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Aika the Lady Pirate, please speak now," the girl said. Aika began shaking in her seat with immense fear, now planting her face on the table and covering her head. Vyse gently gave her upper thigh a firm squeeze of assurance, his eyes still following her every move. Suddenly Don burst into laughter, turning to the girl completely unaware of her status.

"Well aren't you a pretty girly, come on over here sweet heart and have a drink with me, I can tell ya' all about where Aika the Lady Pirate is," Don spouted, his eyes quickly shifting to Vyse's.

"Watch this," Don said under his breath, quickly returning his attention to the girl. The girl stared at him with her intimidating blue eyes, as if she were ready to take off his head for being a crude individual. But to their surprise she moved on to the bar. She sighed heavily, sitting at the bar and immediately turning her gaze to Don.

"Tell me what you know," she said. Don smirked and tapped the table, a mug of liquor being placed in front of her. She glared at it and back at dawn, showing that she was in no mood for small talk.

"Well ya' see, last I saw her she was wandering the shoppin' area. Why do ya' ask sweet heart?" Don inquired, only to see that she was already back on her feet and headed out the door. He turned to Vyse and Aika, who were both as pale as ghosts before smiling at them.

"See? That was easy, no need to panic," Don laughed. He then stood up onto his feet, stumbling as he tried to maintain his balance before placing gold on the table to pay for the drinks.

"However, when she finds out you aren't there she'll come stompin' back. I say we go ahead to the dock and unhook your ship from mine. Don' worry is reaaaal easy," Don said, his speech turning more into barely tolerable rambling. As aggrivating as it was to see Don in this state, Vyse knew he meant no harm, nor was he going to slow them down. Much like himself, Don had seen unspeakable horrors and committed any other attrocities. Giving him a nod, he acted as Don's crutch to help him out the tavern, then helping themselves out of Sailor Island's scary grasp.

To Be Continued


End file.
